


Dads of Marmora: Behind the Scenes

by moretrash



Series: Dads of Marmora [37]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Babysitting, Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Fluff, Jealousy, Keith and Lotor are friends, Love Confessions, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Season 6 Lotor? Who's he?, Very very minor I promise, keith is good with children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 20:44:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15372951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moretrash/pseuds/moretrash
Summary: A series of fics that take place in the 'Dads of Marmora' universe that:A) Don't feature that dadsAnd/orB) Aren't long enough to be considered their own story





	1. Keith & Lotor are Just Friends, Lance

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:
> 
> "This was so gooood! Here's another lil prompt: lotor and keef start getting along way good due to like half blood stuff and talking about the stupid things the paladins do and Lance gets jelly?? Idk its off the top of my head lmao"

Keith sat down in front of the glass that blocked Lotor off from the rest of the castle of lions. The exiled prince was staring at him, a small smile gracing his features as Keith made himself comfortable.

“Hello, Keith. Have you been well since I last saw you?” Lotor asked. Keith nodded and scooted a bit closer, smiling widely. He had been getting closer to Lotor due to the fact that they were both half Galran, and Lotor could guide Keith through any confusions he had about his heritage. 

“I’ve been good, yeah. I mean, I haven’t been on too many missions but that’s okay. Have you been doing okay?” Keith asked. Due to the incident where he had been turned into a child for a week, his pack was hesitant to send him on any missions due to the risk of it happening again. After all, they had no idea how many Galran ships had the weapon that had been used. 

“I’ve been doing fine, for the most part. There’s only so much to do in this cell, so I’ve been very bored, but I suppose it is a very nice setup overall. I mean, I was given a decent amount of blankets to nest with and an area to burrow away without anyone seeing me.” Lotor said. Keith smiled brightly at that news, since he had told Allura and Shiro that Galra felt more comfortable sleeping in a nest than in a bed, and that they very much valued privacy. He supposed that the nest was in the small alcove that had been put in so that Lotor could hide away if he wanted to. Of course, there were measures to make sure he was in there and that he wasn’t doing anything bad. 

“That’s great! I can’t let you out or anything, but we can play… charades?” Keith suggested. Lotor’s ears wiggled in confusion, which was an incredibly endearing sight to Keith.

“What is charades?” Lotor asked. 

“It’s an Earth game. Basically, you act something out and the other people try to guess what it is.” Keith explained. Lotor thought a moment before shrugging and shaking his head.

“No, I don’t think I want to do that.” Lotor said. Keith nodded in understanding.

“What is Earth like?” Lotor asked suddenly. 

“Well, it’s… nice. There are a lot of different climates and area that have different weather and there are so many different cultures and values depending on where you are.” Keith said. 

“There is more than one culture on Earth?” Lotor asked.

“Yeah. I mean, life is different depending on where you live, and a lot of areas have special cultures.” Keith said. Lotor nodded enthusiastically, his attention completely on Keith.

“What type of animals are there?” Lotor asked.

“Oh, all sorts of animals. Humans have discovered millions of species and some suggest that there are millions more we haven’t even discovered yet! But… a lot of animals are going extinct on Earth because humans are hunting them.” Keith said. Lotor frowned and tilted his head.

“Why are they hunting them? Animals are something to be valued and appreciated.” Lotor said. Keith shrugged sadly.

“Well, I think that too. A lot of people hunt animals for special furs or some animals have parts of their body made out of something called ivory, which is really valuable on the black market.” Keith said. “Some kill certain animals just to say they’ve killed one. Now, humans eat meat, so we kill animals to eat that meat, of course, but a lot of it comes from livestock.” Keith said. 

“That’s sad. Galra have always strived to preserve wildlife on planets we’ve settled, some more than others.” Lotor explained. Keith nodded and bit and looked over when he heard the door to the room open. He grinned when he saw Lance standing there, trotting over and kissing his cheek. 

“Hey, babe. I’m here to give Lotor some food and let you know it’s time for dinner.” Lance said brightly. Keith nodded and stepped back to let Lance hand Lotor his food. He followed Lance to the dining room, sitting down and digging into his food happily as he engaged in conversation with his friends.

-

The next day, Keith found himself yet again sitting in front of Lotor’s cell. He knew that Lotor was in the small alcove that had been put into his cell, as he could see his blonde hair peeking out.

“Lotor, you awake?” Keith called. Lotor jumped and peeked out, relaxing when he saw Keith waiting for him.

“I apologize, I didn’t realize you were there.” Lotor said as he settled himself down in front of Keith.

“No, don’t apologize, I understand.” Keith said. “I was actually wondering what your home planet was like, if you feel comfortable answering?” He asked. Lotor frowned and looked away.

“Well… I don’t know. I don’t really have a home planet. Daibazaal was destroyed before I was born and so I grew up on the main fleet.” Lotor explained. Keith frowned and nodded.

“That sucks. I attacked there once and it didn’t seem like a very… kid-friendly place.” Keith said. Lotor shrugged and nodded sheepishly.

“No, it really isn’t. I mean, it’s pretty heavily armed and pretty dangerous for a kit, actually.” Lotor said. 

“But Zarkon did keep you safe, right? I mean, I thought kits were pretty important to Galra.” Keith said. 

“Not really. Yes, kits are extremely important to Galra, but my father was much too focused on taking over the universe to raise a child. As a result, I was raised by my governess, Dayak, who kept me safe for the most part.” Lotor said. Keith tilted his head.

“Governess… you mean a nanny?” Keith asked. Lotor visibly bristled and frowned.

“Governess!” He insisted.

“Alright, governess it is.” Keith said, holding up his hand in a placating manner. Lotor nodded in satisfaction and relaxed.

“Do human children have a governess?” Lotor asked. Keith shrugged.

“Some do. Children of royals and some richer people hire nannies, too. There are babysitters, but they’re not really… nannies. They more watch the kid for a few hours while the parents are away, they don’t raise the child like a nanny does.” Keith explained. Lotor nodded and smiled brightly. Keith looked over when he Lance come in.

“Babe, can I talk to you outside for a moment?” Lance asked. Keith nodded and got up, following Lance into the hallway.

“What is with you and Lotor?” Lance asked. Keith blinked in surprise. Of all the things he thought Lance was going to say, it certainly wasn’t that.

“What do you mean?” Keith asked. Lance crossed his arms and huffed.

“You’re always around him and talking to him. You always look so happy while you talk to him.” Lance said. Keith frowned and stepped closer.

“Lance, there’s nothing going on between me and Lotor, I swear. If anything, we see each other as like… a mentor and peer. He teaches me about my Galran heritage and he helps me understand my instincts. He also gives me tips to handle things that are more complicated for me because of not always having dominant Galran genes all my life.” Keith explained. Lance relaxed and smiled in relief.

“I’m really sorry I accused you of having something with Lotor. Just… sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve you and you’ll go for someone more in your league.” Lance said. Keith frowned and blinked a few times before he could form an answer.

“Lance, if anything, you’re way out of my league. I love you so much, never think otherwise, okay?” Keith said. Lance grinned and nodded happily, holding Keith close and kissing his head. 

“I love you too, babe.” Lance said happily.


	2. Keith the Resident Babysitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith babysits for a fellow blade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt:
> 
> "I'd like to see a story where Keith is babysitting little kits on the base. Would they climb all over him or play with his tail?"

Kolivan had gone to greet a blade from another base that was visiting for an annual report. He wasn’t expecting a slightly overwhelmed-looking Galra trying to keep a reign on two very young, very hyperactive kits.

The blade turned to Kolivan and smiled sheepishly.

“Apologies, leader. My kits refused to let me leave without them, and snuck onto my ship when I wasn’t looking.” He said, and Kolivan let out a short chuckle. It sounded so much like something Keith would do.

“It is no problem at all, do not worry.” Kolivan said. Would he have had the same reaction before he had adopted Keith and Regris, and had Krolia and her other kit, Acxa, join his pack? Probably not. But he now understood how determined and unpredictable kits could be, and he found that he wasn’t annoyed as he would have been several months before. “If you’d like, I know someone who could watch your kits for you while you and I talk?” He offered. The blade nodded in and sighed in relief.

“That would be wonderful.” He said. Kolivan nodded and reached for his datapad, sending a message for Keith to come down to the hangars. 

-

When Keith got Kolivan’s message, he had just been finishing up his breakfast. He glanced at the message as he chewed on a final mouthful of sweet and slightly sour fruit, glad that he was finished with his breakfast since it seemed rather urgent.

He quickly dropped his tray in the designated place and walked down to the hangars. It was a wide, large space lined with rows of pods, with paths big enough for a pod to fit through lining it. On the far end was a large garage door-like opening that allowed blades to take off and land.

It wasn’t hard to locate Kolivan in the hangar, large as the room was. The man was very familiar to Keith, but even if he hadn’t been, his vibrant red markings were hard to miss. He went in the direction that Kolivan was, coming up behind him and letting out a small, questioning sound.

“Hello, kit.” Kolivan greeted gently, rumbling to Keith in greeting. Keith smiled and purred, lightly.

“You sent a kit to care for my kits?” The blade asked curiously. Kolivan perked up and nodded.

“Indeed. My kit is young, but he is responsible. He will take good care of your kits.” Kolivan said. He turned back to Keith and smiled. “You will watch these two kits for a few vargas while their…”

“Father.” The blade supplied, and Kolivan nodded. It was easy to not know, as it could have easily been a pack member that wasn’t the children’s biological parent.

“Their father and I discuss some things.” Kolivan said. Keith nodded and turned to the kits, smiling gently.

“Hey, you two. What are your names?” Keith asked, and it would always astound Kolivan how gentle Keith was with kits, as opposed with his usual temperamental attitude.

“My name is Iknek.” One of the kits said, while the other hid behind his father’s leg. Keith smiled gently and crouched down to as close to the two kits’ level as he could.

“Nice to meet you, Iknek. My name is Keith.” Keith said gently. “What’s your name, little one?” He asked, addressing the other kit who had suddenly become very shy.

“Krulog.” The other kit said softly. Keith nodded a bit, smiling gently.

“I’m going to take care of you two while your dad goes into an important meeting, okay?” Keith said. Iknek nodded and moved over to Keith, but Krulog remained firmly behind his father. 

“I do not want to leave papa.” Krulog said. Keith nodded in understanding and smiled.

“Well, I have a very exciting pet I think you two would like to play with.” Keith said, trying to tempt the kit out. It was successful, as the shyer kit perked up and shuffled closer to Keith.

“Really?” He asked curiously. Keith smiled and nodded.

“Yeah! His name is Cyber, he’s a really big wolf, but he’s super gentle and soft.” Keith said. Krulog tilted his head and eventually went over to Keith. Keith smiled and stood up, prompting the kits to hold onto his hands as he led them out of the room. 

As they left, the blade tilted his head.

“My, your kit is rather talented with other kits. It usually takes much longer for Krulog to be willing to leave my side.” The blade said. Kolivan smiled and nodded.

“Yes, he is rather good with children.” He agreed. As the pair walked to the conference rooms, the blade spoke up again.

“I mean no offense, leader, but I was not aware that you had a kit. Have you always had him?” He asked. Kolivan shook his head.

“No, I recently took him in. It is not very common knowledge outside of headquarters. Actually, after Keith, I found myself adopting his twin sister and another kit.” Kolivan said with a chuckle. In the span of a few months, he had gone from just considering kits in the future, to having three kits to care for.

-

Keith took the two kits to a wide, open space for them to play. 

“Can we meet your wolf?” Iknek asked excitedly. Keith smiled and nodded.

“Yeah! Wait until you see what he can do.” Keith said. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly, since he knew that Cyber was always close by him. Both kits shouted in excitement and glee as the wolf teleported in in a flash of bright light. 

“Now, be gentle with him. You can’t tug on his fur. It hurts him.” Keith explained gently. Cyber looked over and nudged Krulog with his nose, the kit laughing excitedly and reaching up to pet Cyber, Iknek ran over and pet the wolf, smiling.

“How old are you two?” Keith asked curiously. 

“I’m 11!” Iknek said proudly. For Keith, eleven wasn’t an older child, but for the two kits, they were young toddlers. Keith smiled widely.

“Wow, 11!? That’s so big!” Keith said brightly. “How old are you, Krulog?” He asked.

“I’m 9.” Krulog said. 

“Wow, you’re both so big! I’ll let you in on a little secret, I’m eighteen.” Keith said. Both kits looked shocked.

“Are we gonna get as big as you when we’re eighteen?” Krulog asked excitedly. Keith shook his head sadly.

“Unfortunately, no. My dad was from a species that grows really quickly, so I grew really quickly. But you’ll get to be as big as me someday.” Keith said. The kits nodded and got up to run around and play with Cyber. Keith watched on with a small smile, making sure neither kit got hurt.

-

Lunch had been hectic, but not overly so. It was difficult to make sure the two kits didn’t have just junk food, and that they weren’t overeating, and that they actually ate rather than go to wander around. He understood their curiosity, as he had the same reaction when he had first seen the large headquarters. 

After lunch, Keith had tried to put the two kits down for a nap, but that was where the problems started.

“I can’t sleep without papa.” Krulog spoke up softly, tucked under the blankets that Keith had arranged for the two kits. Keith sighed softly and smiled sadly.

“I’m sorry, Krulog, but your papa is in a very important meeting right now.” Keith said. Iknek frowned and whined loudly, getting up.

“Let’s go see papa!” He said. Keith shook his head.

“No, Iknek. Your papa will be out of the meeting soon, okay? I promise.” Keith said. He struggled to keep the two kits from slipping out of the room to go find their father, and he was absolutely exhausted by the time their father came to pick them up.

-

Keith perked up when he heard the door open, smiling when he saw Kolivan and the kits’ father come in. The two kits squealed excitedly and ran to greet their dad, giggling.

“They weren’t too much of a trouble, were they?” Their father asked. Keith shook his head reassuringly.

“Not at all. They were pretty well behaved.” Keith said, laughing when he saw that the two kits had fallen asleep at long last. 

“Thank you so much for watching them.” The blade said.

“It was no problem.” Keith said with a smile. He yawned when the blade and his kits left to return to their home base, absolutely exhausted since he hadn’t had his nap. Kolivan smiled and led the kit to his office, laying Keith down in the small nest in the corner since he knew their pack nest was probably loud, with Regris and Acxa play-fighting.

“Go to sleep, kit. I will wake you up for dinner.” Kolivan said. Keith nodded and settled down under one of the soft blankets.

He fell asleep to the sound of a pen scratching against paper as Kolivan filled out reports.


	3. Thulaz Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of how Thace and Ulaz first got together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to make a short story about how each of the main pairings in my Dads of Marmora series got together, so the next chapter will definitely be for Kolivan and Antok!

There was a time before Thace and Ulaz were important to the Blade of Marmora. A time before Ulaz was the head doctor in the headquarters medical bay, and a time before Thace was in charge of codes and encrypted messages. 

There was a time when Thace was a scrawny, tall and slightly shy teenager who had an interest in codes and electronics. He wasn’t the image most had their heads when they thought of a member of the blades, the image of strong, beefy Galra who had seen lifetimes of war and fighting before they turned to the rebel side.

No, Thace was a nerdy, skinny teenager who had been drawn to the blades for no other reason than he simply had nowhere to go. His planet was destroyed by the Galran empire for resources and soldier and Thace, who couldn’t imagine a life as a soldier for the empire, had left with nothing but the clothes on his back and what little money he had in his pocket. 

He had arrived and stared up at the beefy Galra who had greeted him, his vibrant purple fur fluffing up to try and make himself look bigger, more intimidating. It hadn’t been successful, as it had only caused the other Galra to laugh. He had been brought in, given food and water and a place to rest. He had been invited to join their ranks and Thace, seeing nowhere else to go, had accepted. 

There had been a time when Ulaz was simply training to be a medic on his peaceful planet. Like many younger generations of Galra, Ulaz didn’t see why the empire was taking over so many planets. He understood that the Galra needed quintessence, but the race had gotten on just fine for millions of years without taking over other planets and reaping it of their quintessence and resources, so why was there suddenly a need for so much of it?

Then, his planet had been reaped of their quintessence for the main fleet, and Ulaz found himself being taken onto an empire ship due to his skills as a medic. 

That night, as he laid on the bed he had been given, he was put face-to-face with an older Galra.

“I can get you out, if you wish to leave.” He had offered in a whisper. Ulaz sat up and tilted his head.

“Where would we go?” Ulaz asked, equally as softly. The older Galra had interacted with Ulaz earlier in the evening, seeming to take all of the younger Galra who had been brought on under his wing. 

“We’re going to make a stop for supplies tomorrow morning. If we leave, we will meet up with two men. They are operatives from a rebel organization known as the blade of marmora. They will take us to their headquarters. You can finish your medic training there, and join our ranks.” He said. Ulaz sat back against the wall and thought for a moment, sighing softly.

“Yes. Yes, I would like to leave.” He said softly. The older Galra nodded and stood up, pulling the blanket up to Ulaz’s shoulders and walking away.

The next morning found Ulaz, the older Galra, and two other young men from his planet separating from the group that was gathering supplies and meeting up with two Galra in blade uniforms with glowing pink accents and masks in the same color scheme. They had introduced themselves as operatives from the blade of Marmora and letting the four of them onto their ship. They took him to their headquarters; a sprawling, endless building from which thousands of blades worked and operated. 

-

The day Thace first encountered Ulaz, it was in their first day of training with their blades. 

Thace was desperate for friendship. It was hard for him to make friends considering how he much preferred to work with the computers rather than socialize. He was awkward and he never knew what to say. Yet, when he saw, Ulaz, he had so many things he did want to say. 

“Your markings are cool.” Thace said. Ulaz jumped and turned around to face Thace, smiling and relaxing when he saw that it was simply another young Galra.

“Thank you. Those white streaks on your ears are interesting.” Ulaz answered, and Thace seemed to clam up at the compliment, stuttering for a few seconds.

“Thank you. I am Thace. What is your name?” He asked, extending his hand. Ulaz smiled and shook the slightly smaller boy’s hand.

“I am Ulaz.” The medic said, snapping his head over when he heard the voice calling over all of the new recruits. He and Thace trotted over to the small group, listening quietly to the words of the head of the training room.

-

Since then, many of the residents of the headquarters noticed how much time the two spent together. Though they didn’t realize it, the pair were inseparable. If someone was talking to one, the other was never far away.

They silently celebrated the day the two officially became pack members to each other. It let them be closer together whenever they wished. However, at the same time, the older, wiser Galra lamented their sanity.

They could see the way the two looked at each other when they other wasn’t looking. Looks of pure adoration and affection that grew with each day they spent together. The way Thace’s fur fluffed up, but not to make himself look intimidating. No, the fluffing up was intended to make himself look bigger, more appealing to a potential mate. 

It was painfully obvious to everyone that the two were pining after one another.

-

Thace and Ulaz were settled down in their nest after a long day. Thace’s head was resting on Ulaz’s stomach, his ears flicking lazily as he gently stroked the white markings of Ulaz’s arms. Ulaz was lounging on his back, his fingers running absentmindedly through the longer fur on Thace’s head. Thace purred softly, closing his eyes in content.

“How was your day?” Ulaz asked softly. Thace cracked an eye open to look up at Ulaz, smiling lazily.

“Very long. You are lucky, you only have to train for half of the day.” Thace said. “It gets very monotonous after a bit. I can’t wait until I am allowed to work with codes more.” Thace said. “How was your day?”

“Slightly less monotonous. Today I shadowed one of the other medics for more complex procedures.” Ulaz said softly. Thace smiled and nodded, fluffing up again as he nuzzled Ulaz. Ulaz paused and smirked.

“Thace, are you fluffing up for me?” He asked, his voice holding a hint of teasing. Thace gasped and rolled away, hiding his face in a mound of pillows.

“No!” He said, his voice muffled by the fabric. Ulaz smiled and gently peeled away the pillows ones by one until he could see Thace’s eyes. He could see a blush forming under his fur.

“Do not be shy, Thace. If my fur was not so thin, I would be fluffing up for you as well.” Ulaz said gently, encouraging Thace to come out of his hiding spot. Thace’s eyes widened and he looked up at Ulaz.

“Truly?” He asked softly. Ulaz smiled and nodded, pulling Thace out of his hiding spot and into the rest of the nest. 

“Truly, Thace. I would very much like to be your mate, if you want it as well.” Ulaz said. Thace knew that Ulaz was nervous. When nervous, Ulaz would talk in ways that were formal, even for the formal form of English that the majority of Galra knew. Thace grinned and nodded.

“I would… I would love that, Ulaz.” He said. Ulaz smiled and draped a blanket over the two of them, having to struggle with it for a moment to make it warm enough for him to sleep under, but not so warm that Thace was uncomfortable.

As Ulaz drifted off, Thace swore his elated purrs could be heard all over the base.


	4. Antolivan Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The development of Antok and Kolivan's relationship.

Unlike Ulaz and Thace, Kolivan and Antok had basically grown up together. 

Antok was a rare case of a kit born and raised within the blade of marmora. He was bigger than children his age typically would be, and stronger as a result. Kits, while not uncommon, certainly weren’t common within the walls of the blades, especially kits that were willing to play with someone who was so much stronger than them.

Yes, Antok was lonely. His pack tried to make up for his hurt and loneliness of no one wanting to be his friends, but they couldn’t completely patch up the hurt.

And then, Kolivan had arrived.

Kolivan, while not born within the blades, might as well have been born there. He had been brought to the blades at a young age by his mother and father, looking for somewhere safe for their kit to grow and thrive, away from the turmoil of their small part of the universe. 

Kolivan had been too young at the time to remember anything outside of his life among the blades. His first memory of Antok had been of his mother placing Kolivan into a room that had a few other kits around his age, encouraging him to go make friends and play. The room was decorated in bright colors that would attract a kit. Shelves on the walls held an array of toys and games, and mats were laid out for naps and play-fighting. 

“Hey, Koli, that little boy over there looks kind of lonely, don’t you think? Why don’t you try to be friends with him?” His mother had suggested, gently pushing him in Antok’s direction. Kolivan perked up and trotted over to the larger kit, smiling widely.

“Hello!” Kolivan had greeted brightly. “I am Kolivan. What is your name?” He asked. Antok looked over, his eyes widening when he saw Kolivan. He looked around before pointing wordlessly at himself, as if in disbelief that Kolivan was talking to him. Kolivan nodded enthusiastically.

“I am Antok.” Antok greeted softly, his tail swishing hopefully at the idea of a new friend.

“Do you wanna play with me?” Kolivan asked hopefully. Antok grinned and got up, pleasantly surprised when Kolivan didn’t retreat when he saw how Antok towered over him, despite them being close in age. 

“I would love to!” Antok said, running over to the shelves of toys with Kolivan in pursuit of a game that they could both enjoy. 

-

Kolivan and Antok became inseparable. They were joined at the hip at all times. Unless they were having pack cuddle time, if someone encountered one of the kits, it was likely that the other was close by. 

When Kolivan was around the Galra equivalent of ten years old, his parents had died during a mission. Antok had wanted to help, but he hadn’t the slightest clue how to go about that. 

He had enlisted the help of some of the kitchen staff to help him gather some of Kolivan’s favorite snacks and a few meal bars that weren’t too rich on his stomach in case Kolivan didn’t feel up to getting up to eat. He had checked on his friend several times a day, often sitting with him as Kolivan cried against him. 

To Kolivan, Antok had been a silent comfort throughout the time. He had no idea what to say too make Kolivan feel better, so he didn’t say anything, instead nuzzling Kolivan and trying to rumble to him despite being much too young to develop the sound. 

In fact, Antok had been a silent comfort a lot of times in his life.

When he was the Galran equivalent of 15, he had sustained a deep injury on the right side of his face in battle. (When he recounted the tale to Ulaz later on, Ulaz had observed that he was lucky to avoid losing his right eye.) The injury caused significant damage to his eye. While he wasn’t completely blind in that eye, his vision out of it was little more than blurry blobs of color.

Kolivan had tried to pass it off as a minor injury, but Antok had fussed and fretted over Kolivan while the injury healed into a scar. He changed the bandages regularly, always alert of every time Kolivan seemed even slightly in pain. 

Another time was when he had been declared the leader of the blades. Little more than the equivalent of 20, it was a stressful time for him. Antok had always been there, cuddling him at the end of everyday and letting the other man vent his stresses to him. He rumbled soothingly to him and made sure Kolivan was caring for himself despite the stress. There had been many time where Antok would hunt Kolivan down and drag him to the dining hall when the man tried to skip a meal to work. 

To Antok, Kolivan had been a natural comfort to him as well. 

Throughout their childhood, Kolivan could often be found comforting Antok when the larger boy’s attempts at friendship were rejected because the other kits were scared of him. Over time, Antok found himself gravitating to Kolivan whenever he needed comfort. 

As they grew, Kolivan made sure Antok was taking care of himself, especially when a member of his pack had died on a mission.

It was unclear to everyone the exact period of time in which Antok and Kolivan had become mates. Not even Antok and Kolivan knew for sure.

It had just seemed like one day, they took on the scent of being the mate of the other, like the development in their relationship was a natural thing over time, rather than confessions and awkward dates. 

Yet, they couldn’t have been happier.


	5. Shiro's Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge, Hunk, and Lance set out on a mission to help with Shiro's nightmares.

It was well-known fact to all of the paladins that Shiro had an incredibly hard time sleeping. It was extremely rare that he could sleep through the night without being interrupted by nightmares that kept him awake for a while, or for the rest of the night. That, coupled with his tendency to be and incredibly light sleeper, led to him hardly ever sleeping through the night without being awoken for some reason or another.

The paladins desperately wanted to help Shiro to be able to sleep better, but they had no clue how. Shiro was very closed off in general, and he absolutely refused to talk about his nightmares to anyone. But, it was clear to everyone that Shiro was exhausted and desperately needed a good night’s rest.

Shiro knew he needed sleep, but he couldn’t bring himself to reach out for help in the other paladins. The other paladins looked to him for help and guidance because they were young, scared. He couldn’t rationalize going to those who relied on him for help, even if the paladins always said that their doors were open if he needed anything.

But Shiro also knew that he was slowly destroying himself by bottling up his emotions. At the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it to anyone. He desperately needed something, anything that could soothe his nightmares even so that he could get one full, uninterrupted night’s sleep a week.-

“Alright guys, operation: find Shiro something to help his nightmares is a-go.” Pidge said as they, Lance, and Hunk stood at the entrance of the space mall. Allura, Coran, and Shiro had long since wandered off, leaving the three paladins gathered. Lance and Hunk nodded dutifully and wandered off to the various stores.

The first few stores for Lance yielded absolutely nothing. An Unilu shop offered a pill that the salesman promised would get rid of the nightmares for good, but Lance knew better than to trust an Unilu in their natural habitat. He stumbled upon a small shop that he almost walked right past, that had various herbal smells wafting from it.

“Welcome to Tagmil’s Tea Shop!” A kind looking lady greeted as Lance stepped into the store. Well, tea would certainly explain the various herbal scents. Lance quickly realized that he may have hit the jackpot.

“Do you guys sell anything that can help with nightmares?” Lance asked. The saleswoman looked around, a curious expression on her face.

“What type of nightmares?” She asked, trotting over to a shelf.

“Really bad ones. Constant ones, too.” Lance said. The saleswoman nodded and stood on her tip toes to reach a jar of loose tea leaves.

“We certainly do have something for that! We call this our super-soother tea. It is Lurlian tree leaves, which encourages an easy time falling and staying asleep; Izalian brush flower petals, which has been reported to help soothe the intensity of nightmares related to heavy trauma, and Ahruan shrub leaves, which is associated with a deeper sleep.” The sales-woman said. Lance grinned.

“I’ll take it! Do you sell any sort of bags to put the tea in?” Lance asked. The woman nodded and grabbed another box. “Great! I’ll take both of those, please.” He said brightly.

“That will be 22 GAC, please.” The sales-woman said. Lance handed over the money and put the two items into a carrying bag. “Have a pleasant day!” She said as Lance left the store.

-

Hunk had wandered aimlessly around the space mall. Nothing he looked at seemed to hold anything to help Shiro.

It didn’t help that he wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking for. He didn’t know anything about helping nightmares, so he was lost on how to help Shiro.

He came across a lighting store and became intrigued for reason entirely aside from Shiro’s nightmares. The castle could use something other than the the blue lighting within it. Something that felt more natural for them, something more yellow or white in tone.

As he stepped inside, Hunk was amazed at the sheer amount of different lights in the store, all being displayed tastefully with chandeliers, lamps, and various other lighting styles. As he looked, Hunk grabbed a could of lightbulbs that matched the type in the castle in a yellow tone, so that each paladin could put them in their room and make it feel more like Earth.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hunk laid eyes on something he never thought he’d see in space.

Fairy lights! Those were perfect for helping Shiro!

From his experience, fairy lights alone casted the room in a dim light that was warm and inviting and easy to see by, but not disturbing to sleep. One of Shiro’s problems with him nightmares were that he would wake up and not know where he was in the dark, and subsequently panic until he turned on the light.

Now, Shiro would be able to see where he was when he awoke from nightmares, without the harsh lights being on all night.

Hunk grabbed a couple of boxes of the lights and a box of replacement bulbs, setting his prizes on the checkout counter with a smile. The bored-looking teenage alien glanced at the lights and scanned them with a tired sigh.

“That will be 43 GAC.” They said in a monotone voice. Hunk handed over the coins and took the carrying bag full of lights with a grin, sure that this would help Shiro.

-

Unlike Lance and Hunk, Pidge knew exactly what they were looking for when they set out to go find their way to pitch in to help Shiro.

They were on the hunt for a weighted blanket.

They had read and re-read several articles on ways that weighted blankets could help the sleep of people with PTSD, which Pidge was almost positive Shiro had considering everything he went through. It seemed like it would really benefit Shiro, to help him sleep just a little bit better at night.

They recalled Keith raving about a store in the space mall that sold exclusively blankets and pillows for the species that nested, like Galra. Surely they must have a weighted blanket?

Pidge had accompanied Keith and his pack to the store once, curious about how they found the softest blankets possible for their nest, so they knew exactly where the store was located in the large mall.

“Excuse me, do you carry any weighted blankets?” Pidge asked the Galra that seemed to be running the store.

“Why, yes we do! They should be right over there.” They said, pointing at a series of shelves. Pidge trotted over there are grinned when she saw weighted blankets in multiple colors and patterns.

Obviously, Pidge’s first temptation was to grab one in Shiro’s paladin color, but she decided not to. Shiro deserved a lighter, more inviting color than black. Looking at the various colors, Pidge grabbed a light, powdery blue-green that would add a splash of color to Shiro’s bedroom.

She trotted up to the tall Galra at the register, handing over her purchase to be rung up and bagged.

“That will be 18 GAC.” The Galra said, clearly peppy and happy to be doing their job. Perhaps it was that Galra liked to help each find the perfect things for their nests. They knew that Keith certainly was very picky about what he wanted in the nest. They grabbed the bag and left the store.

-

The three younger paladins met up later in Pidge’s room back in the castle. They were all brandishing the bags of their purchases.

“So, what did you guys get for Shiro?” Pidge asked.

“I got him some tea that’s supposed to help him fall asleep, have a deeper sleep, and help prevent nightmares.” Lance said, holding up the jar of loose-leaf tea and the filter bags. Pidge smiled and nodded in approval and looked at Hunk.

“I got him some fairy lights. You know how he panics if he wakes up from a nightmare in the dark and can’t see where he is? I figured this would help with that if we keep it on at night.” Hunk said. Pidge grinned and while Lance nodded happily.

“I got him a weighted blanket! I read a few articles about how those can help for people with PTSD.” Pidge said, showing them the blanket. Hunk and Lance grinned and gave thumbs up at Pidge’s purchase.

-

When Shiro was distracted by Allura and Coran talking about how to fix the dents in Shiro’s arm from recent battles, the younger paladins put their purchases up in Shiro’s room. Lance made a cup of the tea and set it on the nightstand, while Pidge arranged the blanket on the bed and Hunk put up the fairy lights.

It was perfect, looking very comforting and inviting.

-

Shiro walked into his room and paused at what he saw.

He was almost convinced he had walked into the wrong bedroom, but he could see his towel on a rack and his jacket hanging on a hook.

He paused at a slip of paper on the desk and picked it up, seeing cramped, messy handwriting.

_Shiro,_

  
_We know you have a hard time reaching out, so we decided to give you some help without you having to reach out._

  
_Lance got you the tea. He says it can help you fall and stay asleep, and help with your nightmares. There’s a cup of it on your nightstand for you to try._

  
_Hunk got the fairy lights. He figured that, if you kept them on all night, you would recognize that you were somewhere safe quicker than if you woke up in the pitch darkness._

  
_I got the blanket. Its a weighted blanket, and there are a few articles that I read about how those can help with your nightmares._

  
_We can’t guarantee that these will help you, but give it a try! We want you to get the sleep you need and deserve. Don’t be afraid to reach out to us, we’re always there when you need us._

  
_-Pidge, Lance, and Hunk_

Shiro smiled at the note, and he would by lying to himself if he said he didn’t feel tears of gratefulness for how caring his teammates were well up in his eyes. He set the note down and plugged in the fairy lights, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose tank top to sleep in.

He sat down on the bed and picked up the cup of tea, surprised to find it still warm. That meant the younger paladins had set these out not too long ago. He took a sip and found himself pleasantly surprised by the mild, sweet, but not bitter taste. He laid back and opened a few documents to go through on his datapad while he drank the rest of the tea.

Once he was done with the tea, he set the cup back on the nightstand and set his datapad aside, getting up and turning off the lights. Instantly, the fairy lights casted the room in a warm, gentle glow as Shiro slipped under the blanket and closed his eyes.

Maybe it was all of the things chosen specifically to help him, or the fact that his team was kind enough to go out and get things specifically to help him, but Shiro couldn’t deny the fact that he slept better than he had since he had been captured by the Galra.


	6. Lotor's Nest Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story based off of a headcanon posted on my tumblr.

Keith glanced into the advanced drying machines, trying to figure out how to open them.

During his visits to the paladins, he often helped out with small tasks and chores, like dishes or deep cleaning. He just wanted to make life a little easier for the regularly stressed-out paladins, and the best way he could do that was to do the small tasks that had to get done, and it would take the tiniest bit of stress off of the shoulders of his friends. 

He finally found the latch, yelling in victory to himself as he opened the door to the dryers. He carefully sorted through the clothes and put them into separate piles based off of which paladin the clothing belonged to. From there, he folded the piles carefully, smiling as he returned each pile to their respective owner. He didn’t know how each paladin arranged their closets and dressers, so he left the clothes on any available surface in the room. 

He returned to the laundry room, putting laundry that had been in the washing machines into the drying machines, smiling. He noticed a drying machine that he had failed to open, looking inside as he did. 

It looked like a bunch of blankets, and he knew that they belonged to Lotor for his nest because he recognized seeing them in the nest. Keith folded them up with a smiled and went into Lotor’s room. Because he was now trusted by the paladins, the glass that had been in his room had been taken down, although the alcove that Keith knew housed Lotor’s nest remained. Lotor was allowed to freely roam the castle, so he wasn’t in the room.

Keith approached the alcove, careful not to enter the nest. Nests were precious things to Galra, and they got very territorial over them. He started to set down the blankets outside of the nest so that Lotor could arrange them how he wanted to. He looked over when he heard the door slide open and a loud, almost aggressive hissing sound. He saw Lotor standing just inside the doorway, looking horrified. Keith straightened up with a small smile.

“Hi, Lotor. I was just setting down your blankets that were in the laundry.” Keith explained, under impression that Lotor thought he was rifling around his things. 

“Please…. Please step away from my nest.” Lotor said, sounding like he was struggling. Keith nodded and stepped back after he set down the blankets, watching as Lotor crawled into his nest and took a deep, calming breath. “Apologies for that.” He said after a moment.

“Don’t apologize, you have no reason to. I should have asked you if I could get that close to your nest.” Keith said. Lotor shook his head and sighed quietly. 

“No, I should not even have as much of a problem with it as I do.” Lotor said.

“If you feel comfortable, you don’t have to if you’re not, of course, but maybe you could explain why you’re so territorial about the area around your nest as well?” Keith suggested. Lotor nodded as he grabbed the first blanket, starting to arrange the newly washed blankets into the nest. 

“Well… I guess I just am not used to having people in my nest.” Lotor said after a moment, Keith listening patiently. “Growing up, I never really had a pack. My father was too caught up in taking over the universe to be a true pack member to his son, and he was never really around. My governess, Dayak, never treated me like a pack, she just had the duty to my father to make sure I do not die so that he has a potential heir to the throne. I had my own room that had my own nest, and it was really the only place I felt truly safe and secure.” Lotor said quietly. He was silent for a moment, clearly trying to gather what he wanted to say, and Keith was still silent, not pressuring him. “The younger recruits of the main fleet found it rather amusing to scruff me and toss me around like a doll because I was smaller and lighter due to my Altean heritage.”

“Sorry, scruff you?” Keith asked, unable to resist. Lotor smiled and reached out, wrapping his hand firmly around the skin on the back of Keith’s neck. Keith’s skin had always been stretchier there, though he had never known why. He relaxed instantly, purring.

“You react like that because you trust me to keep you safe. Scruffing relaxes a kit completely so they are defenseless. It was a very scary experience for a kit like me to have that done by a group of larger, crueler soldiers.” Lotor explained. “My father didn’t see any problem with it, as they never hurt me aside from a few bruises. The only place they got in trouble for doing it in was in my nest room. It was my safe place from them and Dayak, who followed the old-school Galran tradition of not even entering another’s nesting room. Dayak wasn’t cruel or anything, but she did have very… interesting teaching methods of making me hold heavy weights above my head while she taught me things about Galran history and how to be a proper prince.” Lotor explained. Keith stared at him for a moment.

“Well, I don’t know a whole lot about this, but I think that’s a perfectly reasonable reason why you’re so territorial about even your nesting room.” Keith said. He reached out and gently rubbed Lotor’s back,careful to take note of his body language and pull away if he felt uncomfortable. Lotor sighed quietly and nodded.

“I do appreciate that you delivered my blankets back to me.” Lotor said after a moment.

“Its no problem.” Keith said. Lotor nodded and sighed quietly, starting to try to tame Keith’s unruly hair. Keith laughed a bit and let him, purring quietly. Lotor frowned and tilted his head as if studying Keith.

“Your hair feels much too dry and brittle for a Galra’s. How often does your pack groom you?” Lotor asked. Keith shrugged and turned around to face Lotor.

“They completely groom me about once every other week, but they groom parts of my hair pretty regularly. Why?” He said.

“Because the cleaning agent in Galran saliva is very important in keeping your hair nice and silky soft. As a hybrid, you will never have as soft hair as Galra, and it will always feel very similar to human hair, but it is important that you let your hair get the care it needs.” Lotor said. “I recommend two options: You could get your pack to groom you or, more specifically, your hair, more often, or there are shampoos that mimic the result of grooming on your hair. I could lend you a bit of my own if you wish to try it out.” Lotor said.

“What are you, a hairdresser?” Keith asked teasingly.

“I may have read a book or two on the subject. Or a dozen.” Lotor said. “I wanted to be a hairdresser before I was trained to be a proper prince.” Lotor said. Keith smiled a bit,

“Well, maybe I could help you.” Keith said. Lotor looked confused, his ears wiggling out of curiosity.

“How so?” Lotor asked. Keith shrugged a bit.

“Well, I mean, what if I let you practice your hairdressing skills on my hair, and every day, we can move closer to your nest? We don’t have to go into it if you don’t want to, but you can get used to having people around your nest at least. I promise that no one here would hurt you, but you have every right to be cautious.” Keith said. Lotor couldn’t help but grin, nudging his nose into Keith’s hair.

“I cannot express how much that means to me, Keith. Thank you.” Lotor said. Keith smiled and gently massaged Lotor’s scalp to help the tense royal to relax.

“I want to do it because you’re my friend, Lotor.” Keith said, gently leading Lotor as far as he could get to the edge of the nest without having Lotor tense and hiss defensively.

“I know that no one here will… destroy my nest, or anything like that. But I cannot help but worry.” Lotor said. Keith nodded in understanding and sat down, starting to braid Lotor’s hair.

“How about I come in every day for an hour before lunch? You could practice and we could get closer to your nest.” Keith suggested. Lotor nodded and laid his head on Keith’s shoulder, allowing himself to relax.

“Won’t your mate be concerned if I spend so much time with you?” Lotor asked. Keith shook his head.

“Lance? Nah, we already cleared up that I love him, and you are a friend. He understands that the type of bond I have with you is not at all the same as what I have with him, and we could never be romantically involved.” Keith said. Lotor nodded and gave a small smile.

“Again, I cannot express my gratitude enough. Most people I have known… they have not cared about this.” Lotor said. Keith smiled and gently urged Lotor into the nest.

“It isn’t a problem, Lotor. Now, rest a little bit, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Keith said, leaving the room.

-

It was easy for Lotor and Keith to fall into a routine. When Keith arrived in his room, he would get as close as Lotor would allow to the nest, and Lotor would meet him there with all the hairdressing products he owned to practice styling Keith’s hair.

Every day, Lotor would allow Keith a tiny bit closer to his nest, which Keith considered a great show of trust that he swore to himself he would never break. Lotor seemed relaxed whenever he was working on Keith’s hair, and he would often talk for the whole hour about interesting things he had learned about various cultures. Keith couldn’t complain, it was quite interesting.

But, there was a little bump in the road while Keith had gone back home to his pack, having missed them immensely.

It wasn’t Keith being away that had caused the mishap. No, Lotor was very understanding of the fact that Keith needed to be with his pack as often as possible, and they had allowed their visits to be more spaced out.

Lotor had called Keith early in the afternoon in absolute hysterics. He was crying, the most dishevelled that Keith had ever seen him.

“Lotor, what’s wrong?” Keith asked, concerned for his friend. Lotor gave a shuddering sob and whimpered.

“My nest! Someone went into my room and destroyed my nest!” Lotor said. Keith frowned and sighed.

“Is it ruined?” Keith asked. Lotor nodded.

“The blankets and pillows are all over the room!” Lotor said. Usually, he wouldn't be so emotive over anything, but having this happen to his nest hit a nerve. Keith was furious on Lotor's behalf, knowing how upset he would be if someone had knowingly destroyed his nest.

“Alright. It'll be okay, Lotor, everything will be okay. Do you want me to come help you rebuild it?” Keith asked. Lotor paused.

“You do not have to.” Lotor said, but Keith could hear the longing in Lotor's voice, something that told him that Lotor desperately wanted him to come, to have someone understand why he was so upset.

“But I want to, Lotor.” Keith paused. Antok gently nudged Keith's shoulder.

“We do not want you leaving alone, kit. We will assist in Lotor's nest as well.” Antok said decisively. Keith purred quietly and whistled Cosmo over.

“We'll be over in a couple of minutes, Lotor.” Keith reassured, getting up and wrapping his arms around his precious wolf. He gestured for his pack to do the same, waiting patiently until they had a solid grip on the wolf before nudging the wolf to teleport.

-

Lotor wasn't exaggerating when he said that his nesting materials were all over the room. The alcove in which the nest was usually hidden was completely empty, and the blankets and pillows were strewn all through the room. The amount that Lotor had gathered again were in a neat pile at the edge of the alcove.

Lotor looked up when Keith entered the room with his nest in tow. He hissed when everyone but Keith got too close for comfort, and Keith gently wrapped Lotor in a hug.

It was too much for the prince. He had been as helpful as he could when he was in the captivity of the paladins, and even after he was allowed to wander freely. He hadn't done anything to them, so why would they destroy the one place he felt truly safe?

When Keith hugged Lotor, and said that everything would be okay, Lotor started sobbing into Keith's shoulders, all of the pain and sadness that he had harbored for so long coming out in a way that, if Lotor wasn't so upset, he would have found disgraceful. Lotor felt himself be lowered onto the floor as Keith tightened his arms around him, never saying a word as he let Lotor sob anything out.

Keith had a feeling that these tears were the result of so many years of pain and sadness and hopelessness that came to a peak in his safe place being destroyed. He had a feeling that Lotor just needed someone to show that they cared, any sort of sign that he wasn't completely alone in the universe. He held Lotor securely and looked around the room at the scattered blankets and pillows.

“I'm going to find out who did this, Lotor, I promise. You didn't deserve it at all.” Keith said. Lotor sniffed in what he tried to make a dignified matter, but Lotor wasn't entirely sure that there was a dignified matter when your face was streaked with tears and your eyes were turning his a parker shade of purple and puffing up from the tears.

“Thank you so much, Keith.” Lotor whispered. Keith smiled and laid Lotor down on a small part of the blankets.

“It's not a problem, Lotor.” Keith responded. He watched as Lotor shuffled until he was sitting up, his hair a mess and wet at some points because of his crying.

Lotor got up and began to gather his blankets and pillows into neat piles. Keith noticed that it clearly had some sort of system, but he couldn't tell what exactly that system was.

“Tell us what to do, Lotor. We want to help you so you have a nest again by tonight.” Keith said. Lotor looked over and shuffled his feet awkwardly.

“Well… maybe you could start to layer the thick blankets at the bottom?” Lotor asked. Keith nodded and grabbed one of the blankets, ducking into the alcove to put it down. His pack followed suit, and Lotor was reassured by the fact that they clearly had no ill intentions with his nest. As a matter of fact, it appeared that Ulaz was worried about the nest.

They worked in relative silence for a while before Lotor sneezed, startling everybody, even himself. He flushed in embarrassment and turned his face away.

“Bless you.” Keith said. Lotor raised an eyebrow.

“What?” He asked. Keith laughed as he came out of the alcove.

“Bless you. It's what humans say when someone sneezes.” He said. Lotor nodded a bit and smiled.

“Well, thank you?” He responded uncertainly. Keith nodded with a smile and stood up, stretching his cramped muscles.

“We're making pretty good progress. I think we'll have your nest looking good as new soon!” Keith said optimistically. Lotor sighed sadly and huffed as he looked at the half-formed nest.

“Its ruined. I had it perfect and they just ruined it and now it'll never be that perfect.” Lotor despaired. Thace gently nudged Lotor.

“That is a common view from someone who has their nest destroyed, you know. It is normal but I promise, it'll be just fine.” Thace said. Lotor shook his head with a small growl.

“Its ruined! Its… its ruined.” Lotor said in defeat. Keith gently put a hand on Lotor's back and looked around as if searching for some way to help his friend.

“No, not ruined. Just new and unfamiliar.” Keith said, but nothing seemed to convince the prince. He just whined quietly and shook his head in defeat. Keith got up and looked at his pack helplessly.

“Lotor, I understand that you may not trust me, but I must tell you something. Everything you are feeling is perfectly normal.” Ulaz said. Lotor growled louder and grabbed another blanket, crawling into the small alcove to put it down. Inside, Keith became acutely aware of soft sobbing.

“Lotor? Lotor, I promise we understand why you're so upset.” Keith said. Lotor sobbed again and wrapped his arms around himself in a form of self comfort.

“No you do not!” Lotor shouted. Keith frowned and sat at the entrance of the alcove, holding his arms out.

“Maybe I don't. But I’m here if you need me.” Keith said. He watched as Lotor's face crumbled and he lurched forward into Keith's arms, letting Keith wrap his arms around him as he cried.

As much as Lotor hated it, he had to admit that it felt sort of good to cry everything out. He clearly needed it, having spent so long bottling everything inside.

Ulaz and Thace watched as Keith silently comforted Lotor. It was very telling of how much Keith has grown with the help of his pack. Before, Keith would stand in silence, unsure of how to act so he didn’t do anything at all.

“Lotor, feel free to cry everything out. We all have to do it sometimes, and none of us will judge you.” Kolivan spoke softly. He recalled many times where he would just curl up in Antok’s arms and have good, long, relieving cry over the stress he experienced as the leader of the blades. He always felt a lot better after he had cried everything out.

Lotor stayed silent for a few moments more before he sat back and smiled, continuing to fix his nest back to the way it was.

“It will be okay. It is not ruined, not truly. I was just lost in my emotions.” Lotor said. Keith nodded and smiled encouragingly.

“Exactly!” Keith said brightly. “It isn’t ruined. You can make it anyway you want.” He said. Lotor nodded and smiled brightly.

-

It took a couple more hours, but Lotor finally placed the final pillow in his newly constructed nest. He stepped back and found himself grinning. It looked perfect, at least to him. Not exactly like his destroyed one, but better in a few ways that he had never considered before.

Keith watched Lotor with a smile, nudging him happily.

“There we go. Now, you rest and sleep and get used to your new nest, and I’m going to go find out who destroyed your nest.” Keith said, waiting until Lotor went back into the alcove before leaving the room. It didn’t take him long to bump into Lance, laughing quietly as his mate gasped and hugged him tightly.

“Babe! When did you get here?” Lance asked. “God, I’m so happy to see you!” Keith laughed and leaned his head against Lance’s chest, relaxing.

“I’ve been here for a few hours. You wouldn’t have happened to have completely demolished Lotor’s nest, right honey?” Keith asked. Lance frowned in worry.

“Someone destroyed his nest. Oh my god, that sounds awful! I would never do that, I know how important nests are to Galra.” Lance said. “Were you helping him put it back together or something?” At Keith’s nod, Lance smiled. “I’m so glad he had someone to go to.” Keith sighed and refused to move from Lance’s arms, prompting Lance to take him up to his arms with a laugh.

“Take a rest, babe. I’ll see who did it. You look tired.” Lance said. Keith nodded and laid his head on Lance’s shoulder, promptly falling asleep. Thace chuckled at how adorable it looked.

“Well, who may have done it?” Ulaz asked curiously. Lance shrugged.

“Well, It definitely wasn’t Pidge. They did a ton of research on Galran nesting habits and I doubt they’d do something that cruel knowing how precious a nest was. It definitely wasn’t Hunk, either. He’s trying to be Lotor’s friend, and that would just completely reverse his project. I don’t think it would be Shiro, because he knows how important a nest is, and he never does anything to anyone without being provoked. Which leaves Allura, Coran, and Slav.” Lance said. Ulaz frowned.

“Well, we shall just have to interrogate them on the matter.” He declared. Lance nodded.

“I mean, Coran just doesn't seem to have that sort of cruelty in his bones. In fact, he spent a whole day helping Lotor gather the perfect nesting blankets. Allura just seems too… formal, for it, in a way?” Lance asked. “She wouldn't want to hurt anyone, her people promoted peace and goodwill.” Lance said. He glanced down at Keith and smiled fondly.

Keith was clad in a t-shirt that Lance was sure was part of his wardrobe before Keith snatched it for his own, but he didn't mind, and a pair of black sweatpants. His shoes were strewn who knows where and he was left in his socks. Even in sleep, Lance thought that Keith looked stunning.

“So that just leaves the Bytor, Slav.” Antok said. Lance nodded and sighed.

“To be fair, I wouldn’t entirely put it past him. I don’t blame him, he just sometimes panics over very small possibilities of the future that he thinks can be fixed with something weird. He means well.” Lance said. Antok sighed and went to go hunt down the bytor.

-

It didn’t take long for Antok to find Slav, discovering the bytor in the peace of the castle’s library, dozing in the artificial sunlight.

“Slav, did you destroy Lotor’s nest?” He asked. Slav jumped and opened his eyes, looking up at Antok.

“Of course I did! If I did not do that, the paladins had a 2.4% chance of being betrayed by Lotor!” Slav explained. Antok growled quietly and leaned close to Slav.

“You have committed the worst possible offense to a Galra when you demolished his nest. I do not care what sort of possibility it will fix, it is extremely hurtful for a Galra, and causes a great deal of unnecessary stress and emotions.” Antok said. He straightened up and left Slav in the library, going back to his pack, who were lounging in the nest that was always constructed in the lounge.

“Slav did indeed do it.” He said, sitting down and leaning against Kolivan’s chest. The mates looked like quite the comical pair, with Kolivan holding a significantly larger Antok against his chest and nuzzling him with quiet rumbles. Lance and Keith were dead to the world, curled up against one another. Ulaz and Thace were clearly still awake, but so very close to sleep that Thace was starting to make the same rumbling sound he always made when he slept. Ulaz watched them lazily, his eyelids heavy and drifting closed every few moments.

Out of the corner of his eye, Antok could see Acxa and Regris asleep on either side of Krolia, with the woman very nearly asleep herself.

It was natural for them to be sleepy; building a nest of any size was hard work, and it almost always was followed by a nap. Keith stirred awake and sighed quietly, stretching out.

“Is Lotor okay?” He asked worriedly. Ulaz nodded tiredly and buried his face in Thace's chest. Keith smiled and relaxed, laying back down in the nest.

He was extremely worried about Lotor. While he hadn't exactly been through the exact same thing, he could certainly relate to being picked on by the older kids in his foster homes, and most of the parents simply turning a blind eye. That was a perfectly good explanation why Lotor was so attached to his nest, the one place where no one could hurt him.

Keith got up and made his way to Lotor's room, knocking before opening the door. There, he found Lotor asleep, curled within the alcove. Keith smiled and left again, reassured that his friend was okay as he laid down next to Lance once again.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my tumblr legendary-marmorans


End file.
